n

n

n

nIt was too rude for a knight to say that to the Duke.

nBut the Duke nodded and smiled.

n“Okay, if His Majesty wants to see my grandson, I will personally take the child to the Imperial Palace. Can I do that?”

n“It’s not possible. I have to bring the Young Master right now.”

nLyndon thought the Duke would reject it, but surprisingly the Duke readily agreed with him.

n“Then we can go together.”

nThe Duke called the butler and ordered something.

nThe butler hurriedly headed somewhere.

n“Wait a minute.”

nAfter a while, a man came into the drawing-room and approached the Duke.

nThe Duke ordered him, “Bring the child here.”

nThe man glanced at Lyndon once before leaving the drawing-room.

nThe Duke looked at Lyndon who was standing like a statue and held back his laughter as if the situation was funny.

n“I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

nLyndon felt like Duke was making fun of him by not bringing Theor at once and instead constantly calling out to his people.

nStill, he patiently continued to wait.

nThe Duke had admitted that Theor was in the mansion.

nIf he did something dangerous, Lyndon could turn this place around to find Theor and take him away.

n“Duke, the Young Master is here.”

nAfter a while, the door was opened.

nThe man who had left after receiving the Duke’s order came in with Theor.

n“Oh, my grandson is here.”

nThe Duke got up from his seat.

nHe looked at Lyndon for a moment.

n“Sir Lyndon. Aren’t you supposed to say hello?”

nAt first, Lyndon didn’t understand what the Duke was talking about.

n“Mr. Lyndon!”

nTheor spotted him and immediately ran to him.

n“Young Master……”

nHe looked at him and tried to ask if he was okay.

nBut the moment he met Theor’s eyes, Lyndon could not continue his words and opened his mouth wide.

nTheor’s eyes, which were obviously blue, had turned red.

n***

nThe sunset was coloring the scenery of the capital city red.

nAstelle was sitting by the window in the study, looking at the garden.

nThere was nothing to do because she couldn’t get out of here.

nAll she could do was wait patiently for Theor’s news inside the mansion.

nHannah knocked on the door.

n“Lady Astelle.”

n“Hannah? What is going on?”

nAstelle approached her, wondering if there was any news about Theor.

nHannah’s face darkened.

nAstelle intuitively realized that what she had brought was not good news.

nHannah handed a small folded paper to Astelle..

n“Master Fritz has sent a letter.”

nAstelle took the envelope with her trembling hand.

nShe hurriedly ripped open the envelope.

nWhat was written on the letter was undoubtedly Fritz’s handwriting.

nThe content of the letter was that the Duke had kidnapped Theor because the people Fritz sent were late, and Theor didn’t seem to have arrived in the capital yet.

nAstelle’s eyes widened before she could even finish reading the letter.

n“Lady Astelle!”

nHannah supported Astelle who was about to fall.

n“It’s okay.”

nAstelle sat on a chair, supported by Hannah.

n‘Is it over?’

nAll the efforts of the past have been in vain.

nAfter she sat on the chair and calmed her mind, Astelle picked up the letter again and read the rest.

nFritz wrote that he will make sure to find Theor, and asked Astelle not to worry too much.

nEven if Fritz did not save him, Kaizen had already sent the knights to the Duke’s mansion.

nAstelle wasn’t worried about Theor’s safety.

nIf her father was the one who kidnapped Theor, he would not be in danger.

nAstelle was worried that if her father saw Theor’s eyes, he would know that he was Kaizen’s son.

nThat was the problem.

nUpon learning of Theor’s birth, her father will immediately try to take advantage of the child.

nTheor is the only prince and sole heir in the Empire.

nIf his father reveals Theor’s identity, obviously everyone in the Empire will know who Theor’s biological father is.

nAstelle said to Hannah,

n“My father will find out about Theor’s birth. Maybe he already knew.”

nHannah’s face was now pale.

n“Lady Astelle, what should I do?”

nAstelle did not answer.

nHow could she find a way?

nShe is imprisoned here.

nShe couldn’t even get out of the mansion, and there was no way she could stop what was happening in the Imperial Palace and the Duke’s mansion.

nAstelle closed her eyes.

nThere is only one way to rectify this situation and to make the situation even a little better.

nShe must find a way before her father devised an evil plan.

nA way to protect Theor.

n“Hannah. Tell the knight that I want to see His Majesty right now.”

n***

nKaizen opened the door to the conference room with his own hand and went inside.

nThe guard hurriedly announced his arrival.

n“Your Majesty the Emperor has come.”

nAs he sat in the highest chair, the officials sat down as well.

nThe sky seen through the window was already dyed red.

nBecause he was too busy with work, the meeting that was originally supposed to be in the morning was postponed to the afternoon.

nThere were a lot of things that were pushed back because of the tour, and there was a pile of new work to be done.

nHe was tired from the endless work, but Astelle’s work was the one who made him most tired.

nAstelle was still rejecting his proposal.

nKaizen wanted Astelle to raise Theor in a comfortable Imperial Palace and live as an Empress.

nThe best thing he could do for Astelle was to make her Empress again.

nBut Astelle refused his help.

nKaizen could not understand Astelle’s thoughts at all.

nHe didn’t think she’d accept him now.

nHe just hoped that Astelle would not be blamed for his fault.

nKaizen wanted Astelle to live comfortably in a more comfortable environment.

nBut Astelle seemed to hate being tied up with Kaizen to death.

nTo the extent of rejecting even the Empress position.

nKaizen suddenly asked, “How are the preparations for the national wedding going?”

nThe inside of the conference room fell silent instantly.

nKaizen, who was looking at the document, looked at the senior officials sitting around the table.

nAt the meeting a few days ago, Kaizen announced that he would make Astelle the empress again.

nOf course, no one welcomed it.

nKaizen already knew that the nobles were strongly opposed to it.

nBut now that the great nobles have fallen, no nobles dared to complain to the Emperor.

nInstead, they were pouring out the anger they couldn’t tell Kaizen at Vellian.

n“I ordered to build a new palace for the Empress. How is it going?”

n“Your Majesty, that……”

nAt Kaizen’s question, the Minister of Home Affairs hesitated to answer.

nKaizen turned his gaze to the officials one by one.

nOf course, the high officials averted their gaze.

n“Are there any complaints among the officials that I will remarry the empress?”

nA silence fell again at the urging to speak up if there were any complaints.

nThe officials who were gathered still looked disapproving, but no one dared to speak his mind.

nknock knock.

nThen an urgent knock broke the silence of the conference room.

n“Your Majesty.”

nThe person who opened the door was the knight protecting Astelle.

n“Why? What’s going on?”

nKaizen’s heart sank when he saw the knight who was supposed to protect Astelle come here.

n‘Did something happen to her?’

nJust looking at the sudden intrusion during the meeting, it was clear that something unusual was happening.

nThe young knight glanced at the officials gathered in the conference room and said,

n“Your Majesty, I have something to report to you for a moment.”

nKaizen sensed the anxiety in his tone of voice.

n“Let’s finish this today.”

nKaizen got up from his seat and went outside.

nThe knight said, “The Princess asked Your Majesty for an audience.”

n“Astelle? Me?”

n“Yes, she said she had something urgent to tell you.”

nKaizen ordered the servant by his side without asking any more questions.

n“I’m going to the mansion where Astelle is right now. Be prepared.”

nHe headed straight for Astelle’s mansion.

nThe moment he walked into the mansion, the sun was setting completely.

nAstelle was in the drawing-room, looking out over the garden.

nAgainst the backdrop of the night sky, he could see Astelle’s back.

nKaizen was blown away by the sight in an instant.

nHis heart aches for some reason.

nHe asked urgently, “Astell, what’s going on?”

nAstelle slowly turned towards him.

nShe politely bent her knees, bowed her head, then calmly raised her head again.

n“I will accept Your Majesty’s proposal.”

nKaizen was stunned in surprise.

nAstelle looked at him with an unwavering gaze.

n“Instead, there is a condition.”

n